The invention relates to printers and computer networks. More particularly, the invention relates to selection of print features.
Over the last several decades, computer systems have become increasingly complex, and, at the same time, have been modified to provide increasing numbers of options, capabilities and customization features for specific tasks. Printer technology is a dramatic example of the increased capabilities that even modest modern computer systems offer compared to those of a few decades ago. Widespread adoption of features allowing on-the-fly modification of print parameters (e.g., font, print size, mixed graphic/text output, selection of multiple printers, paper sources etc.) permit very complex printer operations to be carried out with relative ease, compared to what is possible with older print technologies, such as those using daisy-wheel printing systems.
The increased capabilities found within modern printer systems requires increased sophistication in the commands that are sent to the printer in order to carry out the user""s desired print options. In turn, the user has a larger number of options to select in composing a document to be printed. As a result, the need to be able to organize and to display printer options in a compact, organized and user-friendly fashion has grown dramatically.
Typically, a print job is sent to a printer, and the user is provided with a status dialog box. The printing software carries out preliminary processing of the print job in order to be able to send formatted pages from the print job to the printer. While the print job is being processed, the software displays the status of the print job in the status dialog box. While the status is being displayed, the user has the options of letting the printing software continue to process the print job without intervention, canceling the print job or suspending the print job temporarily while the user reviews or modifies various printing options.
When these options are presented using a status dialog box that is separate from dialog boxes used to modify the print job, the user has no idea what print features may be optionally modified, or of how those options are currently set. Prior to the print processing software beginning to send pages to the printer, the user can interrupt the process by clicking on an xe2x80x9cOptionsxe2x80x9d button. Aside from the vague clue provided by the label on the button, the user may have no idea what options may be available, or of how those options are currently set. A new user may be hesitant to explore the xe2x80x9cOptionsxe2x80x9d because it is not clear what this may lead to. Moreover, when the user does explore this setting, the user loses access to the status information.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of integrating print job status information and user options includes displaying a list of user-selectable printing features including a status feature, with the status feature selected, in response to a command to execute a print job, and displaying a current status of the print job together with the list.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an article of manufacture includes a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein to cause a display to depict a graphical user interface for setting printer options. The computer readable program code in the article of manufacture is configured to display, in the graphical user interface, a list of user-selectable printing features including a status feature, with the status feature selected, in response to a command to execute a print job, and to display a current status of the print job together with the list.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a computer implemented printer control system includes memory configured to provide an operating system and operative to store files representing at least one document to be printed and a display configured to provide an image of a graphical user interface in a viewing window. The graphical user interface is configured to allow user selection and modification of print engine options for printing the document. The control system also includes processing circuitry configured to display, in the graphical user interface, a list of user-selectable printing features including a status feature, with the status feature selected, in response to a command to execute a print job, and to display a current status of the print job together with the list.